Jay Vine: Australian cycling star reveals he never thought he’d walk again as he makes miraculous recovery after breaking his spine and skull in horror crash

Australian cycling star Jay Vine has revealed he feared he would never walk again or “play with my kids” as he took his first steps towards recovery from a “scary” accident in Spain.

Vine remains hospitalized after the crash, which also claimed the lives of reigning Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard and double world champion Remco Evenepoel at the Itzulia Basque Country race last week.

Vine, 28, suffered a fractured skull and vertebrae in his high-speed crash in a roadside concrete ditch and his wife Bre, also a former cyclist who is pregnant with their first child, said it was a ” miracle” that she was not injured. more bad.

After a “scary” period of uncertainty about his future, Vine said he had started walking in his hospital room in Spain and had avoided long-term damage, but that his recovery would be a “long road”.

“I’m tracking as well as expected, I was able to walk around my room with the help of a walker, and taking the first step was quite emotional after what I went through,” Vine said in an Instagram. mail.

“I can’t believe that one day I’ll still be able to walk and play with my kids. It was pretty scary for a couple of days when we weren’t sure if surgery or neurological problems would occur.”

“I have a long way to go to recover, but I’m looking forward to the process moving forward.”

Vine did not need surgery for injuries sustained in a high-speed downhill accident and Bre highlighted how lucky he was.

“Over the past few days, doctors and specialists have stressed to us how lucky Jay is to have ‘just’ these injuries, and nothing more permanent/life-altering, while explaining what could have happened,” he said.

“Which to be honest was disheartening for both of us to hear, we knew how close it was, but explaining it properly definitely puts things into perspective – Jay is SO lucky.”

‘Don’t get me wrong, multiple fractured vertebrae and a skull fracture are very serious, but the fact that Jay hasn’t caused more damage is honestly a miracle.

‘Jay has been able to take his first steps! As you can imagine, there was a huge wave of emotions in both of them when he was upright and able to step forward (very carefully).

“Even our little baby was excited that Jay was walking, so much so that Jay could feel his kicks on my belly for the first time.”